March 2009

Dear Members of the Small Project Practitioners Knowledge Community (SPP):

As the 2009 chair, I would like to thank you for your continued membership in SPP, and take this opportunity to update you on what SPP is doing to help you improve your practice.

Small Project and Small Firm Resources

• SPP Journal
  The quarterly e-journal provides educational, informative material that is current, practical, and directly relevant to the successful practice of small project delivery.

• Small Firm Resource Center
  Our Small Firms resources help you find tips and solutions especially geared for you, the small-project practitioner.

• Small Project Practitioner Tips
  On a biweekly basis we issue practice tips— "little gems" to make your work easier and practice more successful.

• SPP Roundtable Toolkit
  This is guide to starting up your own local Small Project Practitioner group. Groups meet regularly, often at a member's firm, to discuss issues and learn about new products. Many Roundtables lead to project collaborations as people network and share skills.

• Small Projects and Small Firms Blog
  This is a chance for members to connect on issues raised by SPP blogger and past-advisory group member, Lisa Stacholy, AIA from Atlanta.
  
  
• Small Firm Stimulus Resources
  Visit this Web page for links and more information American Recovery Reinvestment Act.

SPP Events
These events provide opportunities for interaction, networking, and collaboration with colleagues nationwide.

• SPP Events and Programs at the AIA National Convention
  
  
  • AIA Small Project Practitioners Lounge
    Moscone Center West, Level 2, Lobby
    
    
  • Successful Strategies in Small Firm Operations: SPP-CRAN Series, Part 1 HSW
    Wednesday, April 29, 8 a.m.–noon, $155, 3.75 LUs
    
    
  • Successful Strategies in Small Project Delivery: SPP-CRAN Series, Part 2 (SPP Track) Wednesday, April 29, HSW, 1–5 p.m., $155
    
    
  • Big Tent, Small Footprint-Inclusive Green Residential Design: SPP-CRAN Series, Part 2 (CRAN Track) HSW/SD, Wednesday, April 29, 1–5 p.m., $155, 3.75 LUs
    
    
  • Regional Sustainability: Challenges and Visions of a Diverse Future-Sole Practitioners and Small Firm Breakfast
    Thursday, April 30, 8–10 a.m., $51, 1.5 LUs
    Sponsored by Arcom
    
    
  • Arcom Masterspec Academy for Small Projects
    Thursday, April 30, 10–11 a.m., Marriot Salon 10-12, No registration Required
    
    
  • The Etiquette of Discussing Race and Culture in the Firm: How to Talk the Talk So You Can Walk the Walk
    Thursday, April 30, 2–3:30 p.m.1.5 LUs
    
    
  • SPP National Issues Convocation
    Thursday, April 30, 4–6 p.m., 2 LU
    
    
  • Network with Members of AIA Small Project Practitioners and AIA Custom Residential Architects Network
    Reception at Tres Agaves Restaurant
    Thursday, April 30, 6:30–8 p.m., $25
    
    
  • Best Practices in Small Project Design: 2009 Small Project Practitioners Awards
    Friday, May 1, 4–5:30 p.m., 1.5 LUs
    
    
  • Strong Women-How She Does All That and Why She is Leaving
    Friday, May 1 6–7 p.m., 1 LU
    
    
• Changing Times | Time for Change: Practice, Productivity and Effectiveness
  Wyndham Chicago | September 24–26, 2009
  Given the new economic and environmental realities affecting client needs, this program will provide perspectives strategies and tactics necessary to compete effectively in an accelerating and complex world. This event will be presented by SPP in collaboration with other AIA Knowledge Communities and groups.

• Web Seminars
  Last year SPP initiated its webinar program. These online seminars present expert speakers with audience interaction. This format is excellent for small firms, since there is a low fee for usage per a site and no extra charge to participate. All participants are eligible to receive learning units. We are currently working on these web seminars:
  
  
• Specs for Small Projects
• Promoting to the Media

Look for more information to follow on the SPP home page.

Small Project Awards
The 2009 Awards program closed earlier this year with a record-setting 214 submissions. Winners will be announced at the AIA convention. This awards program emphasizes the excellence of small-project design and strives to raise public awareness of the value and design excellence that architects bring to projects, no matter the limits of size and scope. View the 2008 winners.

Get Involved!
As a member of SPP, we encourage you to become engaged through the National Knowledge Community, or through your local chapter.

Call for Volunteers
SPP Is currently looking for volunteers for the positions of Advisory Group member and Journal Editor. Please review the Call for Volunteers and submit via e-mail a letter of interest (include position sought and experience and interests pertinent to the position) and professional resume by April 17, 2009 to spp@aia.org.

Here are just a few more ways you can become involved:

• Write an article for the SPP Journal (contact spp@aia.org)
• Send a practice Tip (contact spp@aia.org)
• Participate in your local chapter by starting a local roundtable
• Host a webinar
• Submit to the Small project Awards (submission will open this Winter)
  

If you have any questions or comments, or wish to learn more about how to become more involved, please email spp@aia.org. We welcome your ideas about how the AIA can better serve small project practitioners, your experiences about what's happening in your chapter or region for SPP's, and your engagement in the work of this dynamic knowledge community.

Thanks again for your interest in SPP!

Sincerely,

Deborah Pierce, AIA
2009 Chair, AIA Small Project Practitioners Advisory Group